“This is the story of what happens when a set of animals and plants are cast away on an island for millions of years. This is how this curious wonderland came into being. Madagascar is an unrepeatable experiment, a set of animals and plants evolving in isolation for over 60 million years. We’re still trying to unravel its mysteries.” — David Attenborough
Like nowhere else on earth, the magic of Madagascar leaves a vivid impression on all those who visit. It’s the world’s oldest island and was formed when Africa broke from Gondwanaland 165 million years ago. Since then, Madagascar has had time to develop an astonishing array of landscapes and animals – 5% of all known animal and plant species can be found here, and here alone. It’s like another planet – home to strange, bulbous trees and enchanting, dancing animals.
One of Rhino Africa’s long-time friends and a true Rhino Ambassador, Glenn Weston, recently went on an incredible journey through the forests of Madagascar searching for wildlife. He saw 10 different lemurs in the canopies, on the ground and leaping over rivers. He saw the magnificent indri which was so loud, Glenn could hear them from two kilometres away and others that were so quiet he could only hear them when in their presence, like the baby red-fronted brown lemur.
We recently caught up with Glenn to find out about his time on this fascinating island.
1.) So what attracted you to Madagascar?
Madagascar has always been a dream destination for me. Since I was a boy I dreamed of seeing ring-tailed lemurs in the wild. Having been to Africa and Mauritius many times, it seemed ludicrous that an animal-obsessed individual like myself had never stopped there.
2.) What was the favourite aspect of your trip?
By far my favourite aspect was the close-up encounters with the lemurs. Entering their world was always going to be allowed, but being allowed to enter their lives was a real privilege. I definitely wasn’t expecting to capture lemur GoPro selfies!
The night hikes were also special. To put it in perspective, most lemurs are smaller than a domestic cat and you’re in a huge dark forest. We had numerous failed sightings due to their shyness. Somehow our guide spotted the flashing eyes with a torch, deep in the forest. He took us through hundreds of metres of thick bush in the dark to eventually get within a metre of the super shy Goodman’s Mouse Lemur. What a stunner! And what a privilege to have seen him.
3.) Tell us more about your experience with the lemurs…
It was everything I’d dreamed of and much more. They’re incredible animals that are so friendly, albeit cautious. At times, you have to work hard and be patient for them to come down from the canopies and allow you to come close. The little ones are so curious though and make the cutest of sounds that will melt any heart. Speaking of noises, nothing can compare to the eerie sound of the indri – the largest of the lemurs. Even before seeing them I was moved by the noises they make. Lemur types are all unique in their own way, so no two lemur sightings will ever be the same, but one thing is for sure, every sighting you will fall in love.
4.) Where did you go?
We visited Isalo National Park and Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. The contrasting landscapes were really interesting, we went from the thickets of the rainforest one day in Andasibe to the rocky canyons winding down into the spiny forest below at Isalo. At every point of view, there was amazing scenery, especially at Isalo.
5.) How would you describe Madagascar in two or three sentences?
Madagascar surprises! When you think you are there for the animals, the landscapes will amaze you. When you think you’re there for the landscapes, the people will amaze you. Madagascar has it all.
6.) What advice would you give to those considering a trip to Madagascar?
If planning a trip to Madagascar do your research and seek the experts at Rhino Africa to tailor your itinerary accordingly. As a starting point ask yourself what do I really want to see and progress from there. You will need time and you will need patience as the lemurs are not all in one national park, nor would you want them to be, you may have to traverse the island to see the animals you want. More so you must be prepared to walk, walk and walk some more. Trekking is a big part of the mode of getting to the animals, but even if you’re not a regular trekker the guide will tailor your visit accordingly so you still have a special experience.
7.) Tell us about your trip in general? What else would you like to add?
I always knew the forests would be beautiful and the animals spectacular but the incredible accommodation was an unexpected bonus. For me, when travelling in Africa accommodation is simply a bed to rest after a day searching for animals, but in Madagascar, it was a beautiful place to come back to after a day of trekking the forests.
8.) What surprised you most about Madagascar?
When we were at Isalo National Park we had the incredible sighting of a solo male Verraux’s sifaka following a ring-tailed lemur family. When he got too close they would almost taunt him with the little lemur pups pulling on his tail and jumping over him. He showed he wanted to be part of the group but wasn’t welcome. When we quizzed our guide about this odd-but-spectacular behaviour he told us that the sifaka had a female mate within the group and in the past they had given birth to a pup that was predominantly white but had the tail of a ring-tailed lemur. Unfortunately, it didn’t live past 1-year-old presumably because of some genetic flaws. Still puzzled by this I’ve tried researching any other cases of this odd behaviour but haven’t been able to find any documented. It definitely provided great entertainment.
9.) What other animals did you see? What were your favourites?
We saw many different types of chameleons, snakes, many types of insects small and large, frogs, geckos, iguanas and a Madagascan tortoise. From these, the Malagasy giant chameleon was by far my favourite.
If you too would like to see these extraordinary creatures in the wilds of Madagascar, just let us know and we’ll tell you exactly how you can also visit one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations.
